Mobile, modular climbing tower

Abstract

The invention provides improved climbing devices and structures for use in mobile and fixed climbing installations. The mobile climbing installation has a modular climbing tower pivotally mounted to a trailer to pivot between a road orientation and a climbing orientation. Modular climbing towers are generally assembled from panels having lateral curves by fastening upper and lower flanges of the panels together. The panels and flanges are integrally molded from fiberglass, and act as a monocoque structure. The climbing surface is on the radially outward portion of the partially or fully enclosed tower, thereby increasing the number of climbers that can safely be accommodated on a climbing surface of a given width. The invention also provides belaying devices for safely supporting a climber at the end of a flexible member such as a cable, rope, or the like. These belaying devices generally draw in the flexible member as the climber climbs. When the climber falls or completes the climbing route, the belay device supports the climber's weight, slowly and safely lowering the climber down to the ground. The exemplary auto-belay device makes use of a hydraulic piston mechanism to separate a pair of pulley assemblies. The flexible members runs back and forth between the pulley assemblies with a plurality of windings, so that the stroke of the hydraulic piston is significantly less than the height of the climbing structure.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A modular artificial climbing structure comprising: a trailer;   a plurality of rigid panels, each panel having upper and lower edges, the panel defining a lateral curve about an axis with a radially outwardly oriented climbing surface extending between the upper and lower edges, at least one of the lower edges affixed to the upper edge of an adjacent panel so that the climbing surfaces of the panels define a contiguous combined climbing area, the affixed panels axially aligned and defining a rigid tower having a top panel and a bottom panel, the tower pivotably mounted on the trailer so that the tower pivots from a road orientation to a climbing orientation, the tower in the road orientation having a first height and a total width which is less than a maximum trailer width, the tower in the climbing orientation extending upwardly from adjacent ground to the top panel at a climbing height greater than the first height;   a plurality of climbing holds distributed across the combined climbing area, the climbing holds defining at least three climbing routes, the routes sufficiently separated circumferentially along the lateral curves of the panels so that three climbers can climb the tower simultaneously; and   a plurality of climber support devices affixed adjacent the top panel.   
     
     
       2. The climbing structure of claim 1, wherein each panel defines an axis, and wherein the panels are assembled coaxially to define a tower having a bottom panel, a top panel, and a plurality of the panels of the tower are affixed between the top panel and the bottom panel. 
     
     
       3. The climbing structure of claim 2, wherein the lateral curve extends over an arc of at least about 180 degrees. 
     
     
       4. The climbing structure of claim 3, wherein the combined climbing area is substantially cylindrical extending over an arc of more than about 120 degrees. 
     
     
       5. The climbing structure of claim 3, wherein the combined climbing area is substantially cylindrical extending over an arc of at least about 180 degrees. 
     
     
       6. The climbing structure of claim 1, wherein flanges radiate inwardly from at least some of the edges of the panels, the flanges formed integrally with the climbing surface, the flanges and the panels fully supporting the climbing holds as a monocoque structure between peripheral edges of the combined climbing area. 
     
     
       7. The climbing structure of claim 6, wherein the panels have lateral edges extending between the upper and lower edges, wherein the tower is affixed to a tower support frame by fastening the lateral edges of the panels to the tower support frame, wherein the tower support frame rotatably engages a trailer support frame of the trailer, and wherein the lateral edges extend from the climbing surfaces laterally beyond the tower support frame so that the tower support frame is disposed radially inwardly from the combined climbing surface. 
     
     
       8. The climbing structure of claim 1, further comprising an electro-hydraulic mechanism that moves the tower between the road orientation and the climbing orientation. 
     
     
       9. The climbing structure of claim 1, wherein the climber support devices comprise flexible members extending downwardly toward each climber, the flexible members coupled to auto-belay mechanisms, the auto-belay mechanisms freely drawing the flexible members. 
     
     
       10. The climbing structure of claim 1, wherein the panels have side edges extending between the upper and lower edges, and wherein the side edges of at least some of the panels are affixed to side edges of laterally adjacent panels. 
     
     
       11. The climbing structure of claim 1, wherein the tower is coupled to the trailer by a pivotal joint, the pivotal joint having a horizontal pivotal axis offset toward the top panel from the bottom edge of the bottom panel. 
     
     
       12. An artificial climbing structure comprising: a trailer;   a rigid climbing tower pivotably mounted on the trailer, the tower having a climbing surface with upper and lower edges defining an axis, the climbing surface having a lateral curve about an axis and oriented radially outwardly, the tower having axial climbing height and a lateral width and pivotable between a road orientation and a climbing orientation, the axis of the tower in the road orientation extending horizontally along the trailer, the axis of the tower in the climbing orientation extending upwardly so that the lower edge is disposed adjacent ground and the upper edge is disposed at the climbing height from the ground, the width of the tower being less than a maximum trailer width;   a plurality of climbing holds distributed across the climbing surface, the climbing holds defining at least three axial climbing routes, the routes sufficiently separated circumferentially along the lateral curve of the tower so that three climbers can climb the tower simultaneously; and   a plurality of climber support devices affixed adjacent the upper edge.